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Biology and impact
Sea lice attach themselves to the skin, fins or gills of fish and feed on their mucus, skin and even blood. They can also lodge in the place of fish tongues, particularly in Mediterranean sea bass and marblefish.
Their presence can cause skin lesions, ulcers, immune deficiency, slower growth and greater vulnerability to secondary infections, especially in young fish.
They occur naturally in marine environments, but are becoming a major problem in fish farms (especially salmon), where density encourages their proliferation and transmission between individuals.
Massive infestations can lead to significant economic losses for aquaculture and impact wild populations when they migrate close to fish farms.
What to do if a caught fish has sea lice?
It's not uncommon to find fish caught in the grip of these parasites. But what to do? First of all, examine the fish and remove any sea lice by pulling on it. Don't forget to look in the fish's mouth. It's best to kill the sea lice to prevent them from recolonizing other fish. You can then either release the fish, or if you wish to eat the fish, this is perfectly possible, as sea lice do not contaminate fish flesh. Some fishermen even use sea lice as bait...
Management and challenges
Sea lice management is a crucial issue for responsible aquaculture, with control methods evolving to limit the use of chemical treatments and favor non-drug solutions.
Some species of sea lice have become resistant to pesticides, making their management more complex on intensive farms.
In short, sea lice are widespread marine parasites, harmful to fish health and particularly problematic in farming, and their control represents a major challenge for the aquaculture industry.
